Reaction to a murder: Is New Rochelle downtown safe? by Peggy Godfrey

      The businesses in SoNo New Rochelle met on September 20 to talk about the murder of a twenty year old, Kevin Williams. on September 18 in downtown New Rochelle. Jim Killoran, Executive Director off Habitat of Humanity, as Chairman of he SoNo New Rochelle group in downtown opened the meeting by promoting New Rochelle as one of the best downtown’s in America.  He called it our Times Square, but  then pleaded for a police presence in this downtown area. He asked the people gathered to form a safety committee  to volunteer to patrol the area.  He stated if he had seen someone with a butcher knife at 2:30 p.m. in the afternoon (referring to the murder), this incident could have been prevented.  Complimenting the police force, he said the were needed in downtown.  Since there were eight police outside of 311 North Avenue, he thought it was not "unreasonable" that these police could get out of their cars and onto Main Street "all the time."  Killoran asked everyone to pray for the victim’s family and opened the discussion on this issue.  He lamented we don’t want these things happening in the area.  He opened the discussion to those present.

     Jared  Rice, a candidate for the District 3 commented some resident have a fear of being placed in the witness stand and a "no-snitching" culture. 

     Lou Miele, a business owner said "City Hall used to be on Main Street, then recounted the last "riot" on Main Street when the police arrived 10-15 minutes late.  He watched at that time from his window and felt "if the cops were there, this could have been prevented."  Bringing up both the "exorbitant" taxes the businesses were paying and the BID (Business Improvement Dis:  Is New Rochelle downtown safe?   by Peggy Godfreytrict) fees, he commented that they are still not getting enough police presence.

     David Lyerly recounted how one day he was speaking to a proprietor and looking  out the window. He "jumped to put money" in the meter, but got a ticket anyway.  Killoran added the police had a "push for tickets."  His proposed solution was a safety committee of volunteers and a petition drive to get police stationed on North Avenue and Main Street, and Huguenot Street and North Avenue.  There are high rises in downtown and people live here. Further he asked, "How many municipal employees are spending money downtown?"  A

     The "blame game" was brought up by another person in the audience and the need for all residents to take action.  A lawyer and resident on Main Street, Yariv Katz, felt the drug infested area in downtown needed to be addressed.  He thought there was a need to push Mayor Bramson and to circulate a petition, otherwise, "it will be like the 80’s here."  He was critical of 311 (North Avenue) as a "drug hangout" and felt City Hall needed "to provide funding for youth programs."  As a parent he will always know where his children were.

     Cynthia Lobo spoke only as the President of the New Rochelle Chamber of Commerce and not as a candidate for New Rochelle City Judge.  Expressing her condolences to the family of the deceased, as President of the Chamber she stated, that one of the biggest concerns of the 170 businesses she represents is that, "People don’t want New Rochelle to be unfriendly or unsafe,"  She welcomed suggestions from the far north to the deep south of the city.

     Killoran asked for a vote on how many would want Police Kiosks in the downtown. 24 of the 30 people present voted "yes."  He again asked the group to pray for Kevin’s family and suggested an evening meeting for residents was needed.  "We live here, we work here, it should never happen again."

     Robert Cox, Founder and Editor of New Rochelle Talk of the Sound Blog, expressed concern that what was happening in our New Rochelle Public Schools was a factor.  The graduation rate over the last year showed New Rochelle High School had the ""third lowest

rate" in Westchester.  He expressed concern that the New Rochelle High School Principal "did not provide a single idea for minority students" for programs to improve this graduation rate.  The biggest drop in graduation rates was for Afro-American students and this is not a single program in place "for them."  Killoran suggested they meet with the High School Principal  to make sure students are not "socially graduated."  Further he felt a Career Day should be held. He ended, "It could have been my sons or your family."

In the September 30 issue of the Westchester Guardian